The present invention relates to a combination truck-box cover and a collapsible tent-like shelter. The invention generally comprises a tonneau-type box cover adapted to contain components of a tent shelter while allowing generally full access to the truck box, and especially that the shelter is adapted to extend to the end of an opened tail-gate and further so as to be fitted to a short-box pickup truck.
It has been desired by truck owners to have a shelter mounted to the truck box portion of a pickup truck while also having full usage of the truck box when the shelter is in collapse mode. Furthermore, truck boxes used to be commonly made in a length of eight feet long, while today, many trucks have a box length of six feet and some even four feet. Therefore if a tent were to be adapted to the short box trucks an average height person would not likely fit the shelter.
The applicant is aware of several attempts in prior art to provide a truck-box with a collapsible shelter. For example, reference may be had to U.S. Pat. No. 3,737,190 of Smith et al., issued Jun. 5, 1973, which describes a truck-box collapsible shelter wherein the unit can be erected on the ground or on the truck box itself. However, this invention fails to have the ability to extend outward toward the back of the truck to thereby allow mount ability onto short box trucks.
Another example of prior art may be had in referring to U.S. Pat. No. 3,790,207 of Anderson, issued Feb. 5, 1974, which depicts a hard-top truck box cover, which opens outwardly from the center to form a shelter that sleeps two person. However, this invention also fails to have the ability to extend outward toward the back of the truck to thereby allow mount ability onto short box trucks.
Another example of prior art may be had in referring to U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,484 of Robertson, issued Oct. 13, 1981, which depicts a tonneau-type truck box cover, which when opened, forms a tent shelter. However, this invention not only fails to have the ability to extend outward toward the back of the truck to allow mount ability onto short box trucks, but also fails to leave full access to the truck box.
While many attempts have been made to provide truck owners with collapsible shelter in combination with a box cover, none of the prior art combines the benefits of: rear extending properties for short box adaptability, generally full access to the truck box, and a water-tight cover for said box.
It is thus the object of the present invention to provide truck owners with a combination truck-box cover and collapsible shelter while having rearward extending features that allow installation to short box pickup trucks.
In one aspect of the invention, there is provided a tonneau-type cover adapted to contain components that make up a tent-like shelter.
In another aspect of the invention, the shelter may be adapted to fit as small as a four foot short-box truck thereby allowing an average height person necessary bed length for lying onto said bed.
Accordingly, the system of the present invention provides truck owners with a combination truck-box cover and a collapsible shelter having rearward extending features that allow installation to short box pickup trucks while leaving full access to the box when shelter is collapsed.